The present invention relates to a pair of connector housings which accommodate a male terminal(s) and a female terminal(s), respectively, and more particularly, to a pair of connector housings which can prevent the male terminal(s) from abutting the housing accommodating the female terminal(s) when the pair of connector housings are coupled.
A pair of conventional connector housings are disclosed in the Japanese Utility Model Application Laid Open No. 61-100885. Referring to FIG. 1, the connector housing 1 described in this application includes a chamber or channel 2 for accommodating a female terminal 5. The channel 2 is opened rearward (the right side in FIG. 1). On the other hand, an opening 3 is provided in a front wall 1a on the front of the housing 1. The opening 3 communicates with the channel 2. A flexible arm 4 for engaging the female terminal 5 is provided inside the channel 2. That is, a female terminal 5 is inserted and pushed into the channel 2 from the rearward opening until it reaches a predetermined position at which it engages with the flexible arm 4.
The front part of the female terminal 5 has a cylinder-like channel body defined by a bottom section 6, sides 7 extending upward from the bottom 6, and an upper section 8 extending from the sides 7. A tongue extends from the bottom 6 toward the inside rear of the channel body so as to form a U-like shape with the bottom section 6. A male terminal 12 may be fitted between the tongue 9 and the upper section 8 for the electrical connection with the female terminal 5. The rear of the female terminal 5 has a clasp for crimping a wire 10.
Another housing to be coupled with the above-described housing 1 (not illustrated In FIG. 1) also has a flexible arm with the similar form to the arm 4. A male terminal 12 with the wire is inserted inside the another housing and engages with the arm. (Only the distal end of the male terminal 12 is illustrated in FIG. 1.)
When the front end of the housing 1 is inserted into the another housing, the male terminal 12 is inserted into and passes the opening 3 of the housing 1 and is fitted between the tongue 9 and the upper section 8 so that the two terminals 5, 12 are electrically connected.
The female terminal 12 may be deformed before the coupling of the housings and may not enter the opening 3. Concerning the above, slopes 3a for guiding the distal end of the male terminal 12 toward the female terminal 5 define the opening 3 so that the radius of the opening 3 gradually increases toward the front end of the housing 1. Therefore, if the deformation of the male terminal 12 is small, the male terminal 12 can enter the opening 3 and can be guided toward the female terminal 5 along the slopes 3a. However, there has been concern that the deformation of the male terminal 12 is not small and the distal end of the male terminal 12 abuts the front wall 1a, thereby causing damage of a portion of the arm provided in the another housing, which engages the male terminal 12.
As shown in FIG. 2, in the case in which a part of the housing 1 corresponding to the front wall 1a shown in FIG. 1 is partly cut off, if the deformation of the male terminal 12 is relatively large, the male terminal 12 may not enter the opening 3 for the regular connection or engagement but may enter another opening, thereby contacting the outer bottom of the tongue 9. Consequently, the male and female terminals 12, 5 can be electrically connected, thereby preventing the discovery of this irregular connecting condition therebetween.